Documents: Cole County assessor assaulted man in property dispute
Prosecutors charged a Cole County elected official Friday with misdemeanor assault after his arrest Thursday.
Christopher D. Estes, of Jefferson City, is charged with fourth-degree assault. According to a probable cause statement, deputies were called to Estes’ address at 1600 Wooded Hills Lane on a report of harassment. A man told deputies Estes punched him in the face over a “civil issue over the property lines between the two parties,” the Cole County Sheriff’s Office said in a probable cause statement.
A witness said Estes punched the man while they were cursing at each other.
Estes was released on his own recognizance, according to online court records. No hearings have been scheduled.
He was not in the office Friday afternoon and could not immediately be reached for comment. Cole County Sheriff John Wheeler said he could not comment on the case and referred ABC 17 News to court documents.
Cole County Prosecuting Attorney Locke Thompson said his office will handle the case and move forward in an appropriate manner.
Fourth-degree assault is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by up to 15 days in jail and/or a fine of up to $750.
